About Pediatric Diabetes

You’ve certainly heard of diabetes, but do you really understand what it is and the difference between the two types? Keep reading for a brief explanation of Type 1, also known as juvenile or pediatric diabetes.

What is diabetes?

This disease prevents the body from producing or properly using insulin, a hormone necessary for converting sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. While the cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, genetics and environmental factors such as obesity, diet and lifestyle appear to play roles.

Currently, an estimated 14.6 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with diabetes. Approximately 6.2 million people have the disease, but are unaware of it. Together, 20.8 million people, or 7% of the total U.S. population, have diabetes.

Type 1 (Juvenile or Pediatric Diabetes)

Type 1 diabetes develops when the body’s immune system destroys the pancreatic beta cells, the only cells in the body capable of producing insulin. Type 1 diabetes accounts for approximately 10% of all diagnosed cases of the disease.

What Peterson Family Foundation is Doing to Help

Although the Foundation’s focus has turned to music therapy, we still support a variety of diabetes programs including the Diabetes Center at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) – including Drs. Steve Gitelman and Jeffrey Bluestone, the UCSF Pediatric Diabetes Program, Stanford University Department of Developmental Biology (Oncology Division) and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).